Never Alone, also known as Kisima Inŋitchuŋa ("I am not alone"), is a puzzle-platformadventure video game developed by Upper One Games and published by E-Line Media. It is based on the traditional Iñupiaq tale, "Kunuuksaayuka", which was first recorded by master storyteller Robert Nasruk Cleveland in his collection Stories of the Black River People.[3] Swapping between an Iñupiaq girl named Nuna and her Arctic fox companion, the player completes puzzles in a story that spans eight chapters. The game was made in partnership between the Cook Inlet Tribal Council and E-Line Media[4] and is a video game produced by Indigenous people. A sequel was announced in February 2022.[5]
The player-character plays as the Iñupiaq girl Nuna and her Arctic fox.[6] As an "atmospheric puzzle platformer",[7]Never Alone's puzzles entail swapping control between Nuna and the fox.[6] While the fox is fast, Nuna can pick up things and open new areas using her bola.[7] The story and its structure is based on the intergenerational transference of wisdom. Told in the form of an oral tale, unlike traditional platformer games, which involve overcoming obstacles and defeating enemies, Never Alone rewards players with collectible "cultural insights" - video vignettes of Iñupiaq elders, storytellers, and community members sharing their stories.[8] The central plot revolves around discovering the source of the blizzard that has ravaged Nuna's village and restoring balance to nature.[7] Other stories include that of Blizzard Man, the Little People, Manslayer, the Rolling Heads, and the Sky People. It takes place in a harsh physical environment.[9]
Development and releaseEdit
Never Alone was developed by Upper One Games in conjunction with writer Ishmael Hope, a storyteller and poet of Iñupiaq and Tlingit heritage,[10][11] and the Cook Inlet Tribal Council,[9] a non-profit organization that works with indigenous groups living in Alaska's urban areas.[7] The Council partnered with video game education company E-Line Media and generated the idea for Never Alone as part of a series that "shares, celebrates, and extends [indigenous] culture".[7] The Council's for-profit Upper One Games is the "first indigenous-owned video game developer and publisher in US history".[7] They built the game to explore "what it means to be human" and intergenerational stories.[9] It is intended both to share the stories of native culture as entertainment, and to revitalize interest in Alaskan indigenous folklore.[7] Proceeds from the game will fund the Council's education mission.[7]
E-Line Creative Director Sean Vesce was excited by the opportunity to "go into a community, learn more about a culture and then try to infuse their values and mythologies into a game". Vesce and his team made "a dozen trips to Alaska"[12] to meet with community members and gather stories and imagery and was "blown away at the richness and beauty and depth of that storytelling tradition".[12] He realized that "none of that had really been ever explored in a videogame".[12] Vesce previously held leadership positions at Crystal Dynamics and Activision.[7] Vesce built and led a 12-member development team in Seattle, who worked in deep partnership with "40 Alaska Native elders, storytellers and community members" to craft the game.[13]Never Alone was built in the Unity game engine.[7] A local-cooperative mode is available.
Never Alone: FoxtalesEdit
The first expansion for the game, titled Never Alone: Foxtales, was announced on July 16, 2015. Adding new levels and expanding upon the story, the expansion was released worldwide on July 28, 2015, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The expansion was also included with the base game at no additional cost for the Nintendo Switch on February 24, 2022.
Never Alone received many accolades including the British Academy Award for Best Debut[35] game and Game of the Year and Most Significant Impact[36] awards from the Games for Change organization. In 2015, Never Alone received nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction[37] from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, Best Debut[38] from the Game Developers Choice Awards, and Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award from the SXSW Gaming Awards. In 2014, Never Alone was an Official Selection Finalist at Indiecade. Never Alone also won an Interactive Narrative and Game + Play Peabody Award in 2021.
Critics positively noted the game's art design, which blends a simple, cartoon style with scrimshaw influences. The included documentary videos were also remarked upon as "[leaving the player] feeling educated as well as entertained"[32] and "[doing] an excellent job of giving a cultural context"[23] for the game.
The platforming elements of Never Alone were more divisive. Some reviewers described the game as "frustrating", noting imprecise controls and inconsistent behavior by in-game characters.[23] However, other critics felt the gameplay was diverse and "satisfying".[26]
In 2022 the Museum of Modern Art included the game in their exhibition Never Alone: Video Games and Other Interactive Design .
ReferencesEdit
^Gera, Emily (November 19, 2014). "Never Alone is delayed on PS4 in Europe". Polygon. from the original on September 3, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
^"Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) on PS3 - PlayStation®Store US". December 23, 2015. from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
^"Never Alone - The Story of Kunuuksaayuka (Part One)". Never Alone. October 6, 2014. from the original on November 25, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
^Parkinson, Hannah Jane (September 29, 2014). "Alaska's indigenous game Never Alone teaches co-operation through stories". The Guardian. from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
^Dinsdale, Ryan (February 10, 2022). "Never Alone 2 Announced". IGN. IGN Entertainment Inc. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
^ abKarmali, Luke (May 8, 2014). "Never Alone is an atmospheric puzzle game exploring culture and folklore". IGN. Ziff Davis. from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
^ abcdefghijde Matos, Xav (March 19, 2014). "Sharing legends with the world in Never Alone, a game inspired by Alaskan Native communities". Joystiq. AOL Tech. from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
^"Never Alone - Game". Never Alone. from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
^ abcFarokhmanesh, Megan (May 9, 2014). "Never Alone's first trailer explains the importance of passing along wisdom". Polygon. Vox Media. from the original on June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
^"Video games encourage Indigenous cultural expression". April 20, 2017. from the original on October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
^Toensing, Gale Courey (January 27, 2011). "Ishmael Hope: Alaska Native Art & Culture Educator". Ict News. from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^ abcBryant, Heather (August 23, 2014). "Native Stories from Alaska Give Gamers Something to Play With". NPR. from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
^"Never Alone (Kisimi Ingitchuba)". Games For Change. November 18, 2014. from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
^ ab"Never Alone for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ ab"Never Alone for PC Reviews". Metacritic. from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ ab"Never Alone for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ ab"Never Alone for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. from the original on February 21, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
^ ab"Never Alone: Arctic Collection for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
^Makedonski, Brett (November 18, 2014). "Review: Never Alone". Destructoid. from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^Starkey, Daniel (November 20, 2014). "Never Alone Review". Eurogamer. from the original on December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
^Juba, Joe (December 16, 2014). "Never Alone Review". Game Informer. GameStop Corp. from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^Almogi, Gil (December 4, 2014). "Never Alone: Kisima Ingitchuna Review". GameRevolution. from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^ abcHindes, Daniel (February 5, 2015). "Never Alone Review". GameSpot. from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^Elliott, Matthew (November 17, 2014). "Never Alone review". GamesRadar+. from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^Carlson, Alex (November 25, 2014). "Review: Never Alone". Hardcore Gamer. from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^ abConditt, Jessica (December 10, 2014). . Joystiq. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^Meli, Jowi (June 24, 2015). "Never Alone Review (Wii U eShop)". Nintendo Life. from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^Miller, Zachary (July 1, 2015). "Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) (Wii U) Review". Nintendo World Report. from the original on January 12, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^"Never Alone review". PC Gamer. Future plc. November 24, 2014. from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^Banas, Graham (November 18, 2014). "Never Alone Review (PS4)". Push Square. from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^McElroy, Justin (November 11, 2014). "Never Alone Review: Better Together". Polygon. from the original on November 19, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
^ abMcEwen, Kirsty (December 3, 2014). "Never Alone review – captivating game about native Alaskan storytelling". The Guardian. from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
^Musgrave, Shaun (June 10, 2016). "'Never Alone: Ki Edition' Review – Good Game, Great Experience". TouchArcade. from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
^Valdes, Giancarlo (November 28, 2014). "Never Alone's technical flaws undermine its beautifully told story (review)". VentureBeat. from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
^"BAFTA Awards Search | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
^. Games for Change. April 22, 2015. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
^"2015 DICE Award nominations led by Shadow of Mordor". Engadget. from the original on June 10, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
^"Game Developers Choice Awards". www.gamechoiceawards.com. from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
never, alone, video, game, never, alone, also, known, kisima, inŋitchuŋa, alone, puzzle, platform, adventure, video, game, developed, upper, games, published, line, media, based, traditional, iñupiaq, tale, kunuuksaayuka, which, first, recorded, master, storyt. Never Alone also known as Kisima Inŋitchuŋa I am not alone is a puzzle platform adventure video game developed by Upper One Games and published by E Line Media It is based on the traditional Inupiaq tale Kunuuksaayuka which was first recorded by master storyteller Robert Nasruk Cleveland in his collection Stories of the Black River People 3 Swapping between an Inupiaq girl named Nuna and her Arctic fox companion the player completes puzzles in a story that spans eight chapters The game was made in partnership between the Cook Inlet Tribal Council and E Line Media 4 and is a video game produced by Indigenous people A sequel was announced in February 2022 5 Never AloneDeveloper s Upper One GamesPublisher s E Line MediaDirector s Sean VesceProducer s Matt SwansonDesigner s Grant RobertsProgrammer s David KoenigArtist s Dima VeryovkaWriter s Ishmael Angaluuk HopeEngineUnityPlatform s LinuxWindowsOS XPlayStation 3PlayStation 4Wii UXbox OneiOSAndroidSwitchReleaseWindowsNovember 18 2014PlayStation 4NA November 18 2014EU November 26 2014 1 JP December 11 2014Xbox OneNovember 19 2014OS XFebruary 26 2015Wii UNA June 25 2015EU July 9 2015PlayStation 3EU December 22 2015NA December 23 2015 2 LinuxDecember 23 2015iOSJune 2 2016AndroidJune 22 2016SwitchFebruary 24 2022Genre s Puzzle platformMode s Single player co op Contents 1 Gameplay 2 Development and release 2 1 Never Alone Foxtales 3 Reception 4 References 5 External linksGameplay EditThe player character plays as the Inupiaq girl Nuna and her Arctic fox 6 As an atmospheric puzzle platformer 7 Never Alone s puzzles entail swapping control between Nuna and the fox 6 While the fox is fast Nuna can pick up things and open new areas using her bola 7 The story and its structure is based on the intergenerational transference of wisdom Told in the form of an oral tale unlike traditional platformer games which involve overcoming obstacles and defeating enemies Never Alone rewards players with collectible cultural insights video vignettes of Inupiaq elders storytellers and community members sharing their stories 8 The central plot revolves around discovering the source of the blizzard that has ravaged Nuna s village and restoring balance to nature 7 Other stories include that of Blizzard Man the Little People Manslayer the Rolling Heads and the Sky People It takes place in a harsh physical environment 9 Development and release EditNever Alone was developed by Upper One Games in conjunction with writer Ishmael Hope a storyteller and poet of Inupiaq and Tlingit heritage 10 11 and the Cook Inlet Tribal Council 9 a non profit organization that works with indigenous groups living in Alaska s urban areas 7 The Council partnered with video game education company E Line Media and generated the idea for Never Alone as part of a series that shares celebrates and extends indigenous culture 7 The Council s for profit Upper One Games is the first indigenous owned video game developer and publisher in US history 7 They built the game to explore what it means to be human and intergenerational stories 9 It is intended both to share the stories of native culture as entertainment and to revitalize interest in Alaskan indigenous folklore 7 Proceeds from the game will fund the Council s education mission 7 E Line Creative Director Sean Vesce was excited by the opportunity to go into a community learn more about a culture and then try to infuse their values and mythologies into a game Vesce and his team made a dozen trips to Alaska 12 to meet with community members and gather stories and imagery and was blown away at the richness and beauty and depth of that storytelling tradition 12 He realized that none of that had really been ever explored in a videogame 12 Vesce previously held leadership positions at Crystal Dynamics and Activision 7 Vesce built and led a 12 member development team in Seattle who worked in deep partnership with 40 Alaska Native elders storytellers and community members to craft the game 13 Never Alone was built in the Unity game engine 7 A local cooperative mode is available Never Alone Foxtales Edit The first expansion for the game titled Never Alone Foxtales was announced on July 16 2015 Adding new levels and expanding upon the story the expansion was released worldwide on July 28 2015 for Microsoft Windows PlayStation 4 and Xbox One The expansion was also included with the base game at no additional cost for the Nintendo Switch on February 24 2022 Reception EditReceptionAggregate scoreAggregatorScoreMetacriticPS4 73 100 14 PC 72 100 15 WIIU 67 100 16 XONE 66 100 17 NS 68 100 18 Review scoresPublicationScoreDestructoidXONE 7 10 19 Eurogamer10 10 20 Game InformerPC 6 5 10 21 GameRevolution9 10 22 GameSpot4 10 23 GamesRadar PS4 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 24 Hardcore GamerPS4 2 5 5 25 JoystiqPC nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 26 Nintendo LifeWIIU nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 27 Nintendo World ReportWIIU 7 10 28 PC Gamer US PC 85 100 29 PolygonPS4 7 10 31 Push SquarePS4 nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 30 The GuardianPC nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 32 TouchArcadeMOB nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp 33 VentureBeatPS4 65 100 34 AwardsPublicationAwardBAFTABest Debut 2015 Games for ChangeGame of the Year 2015 Games for ChangeMost Significant Impact 2015 Never Alone received many accolades including the British Academy Award for Best Debut 35 game and Game of the Year and Most Significant Impact 36 awards from the Games for Change organization In 2015 Never Alone received nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction 37 from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Best Debut 38 from the Game Developers Choice Awards and Matthew Crump Cultural Innovation Award from the SXSW Gaming Awards In 2014 Never Alone was an Official Selection Finalist at Indiecade Never Alone also won an Interactive Narrative and Game Play Peabody Award in 2021 Never Alone received mixed or average reviews according to video game review aggregator Metacritic 14 15 16 17 18 Critics positively noted the game s art design which blends a simple cartoon style with scrimshaw influences The included documentary videos were also remarked upon as leaving the player feeling educated as well as entertained 32 and doing an excellent job of giving a cultural context 23 for the game The platforming elements of Never Alone were more divisive Some reviewers described the game as frustrating noting imprecise controls and inconsistent behavior by in game characters 23 However other critics felt the gameplay was diverse and satisfying 26 In 2022 the Museum of Modern Art included the game in their exhibition Never Alone Video Games and Other Interactive Design References Edit Gera Emily November 19 2014 Never Alone is delayed on PS4 in Europe Polygon Archived from the original on September 3 2016 Retrieved November 19 2014 Never Alone Kisima Ingitchuna on PS3 PlayStation Store US December 23 2015 Archived from the original on May 12 2016 Retrieved January 15 2016 Never Alone The Story of Kunuuksaayuka Part One Never Alone October 6 2014 Archived from the original on November 25 2016 Retrieved November 24 2016 Parkinson Hannah Jane September 29 2014 Alaska s indigenous game Never Alone teaches co operation through stories The Guardian Archived from the original on July 26 2018 Retrieved July 1 2016 Dinsdale Ryan February 10 2022 Never Alone 2 Announced IGN IGN Entertainment Inc Retrieved November 30 2022 a b Karmali Luke May 8 2014 Never Alone is an atmospheric puzzle game exploring culture and folklore IGN Ziff Davis Archived from the original on July 19 2014 Retrieved June 29 2014 a b c d e f g h i j de Matos Xav March 19 2014 Sharing legends with the world in Never Alone a game inspired by Alaskan Native communities Joystiq AOL Tech Archived from the original on March 25 2014 Retrieved June 29 2014 Never Alone Game Never Alone Archived from the original on November 22 2016 Retrieved November 24 2016 a b c Farokhmanesh Megan May 9 2014 Never Alone s first trailer explains the importance of passing along wisdom Polygon Vox Media Archived from the original on June 14 2014 Retrieved June 23 2014 Video games encourage Indigenous cultural expression April 20 2017 Archived from the original on October 6 2017 Retrieved October 5 2017 Toensing Gale Courey January 27 2011 Ishmael Hope Alaska Native Art amp Culture Educator Ict News Archived from the original on June 19 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 a b c Bryant Heather August 23 2014 Native Stories from Alaska Give Gamers Something to Play With NPR Archived from the original on January 16 2018 Retrieved January 15 2018 Never Alone Kisimi Ingitchuba Games For Change November 18 2014 Archived from the original on January 16 2018 Retrieved January 15 2018 a b Never Alone for PlayStation 4 Reviews Metacritic Archived from the original on April 12 2015 Retrieved April 15 2015 a b Never Alone for PC Reviews Metacritic Archived from the original on February 17 2015 Retrieved April 15 2015 a b Never Alone for Wii U Reviews Metacritic Archived from the original on June 27 2015 Retrieved April 15 2015 a b Never Alone for Xbox One Reviews Metacritic Archived from the original on February 21 2015 Retrieved April 15 2015 a b Never Alone Arctic Collection for Switch Reviews Metacritic Archived from the original on March 3 2022 Retrieved April 13 2023 Makedonski Brett November 18 2014 Review Never Alone Destructoid Archived from the original on June 19 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 Starkey Daniel November 20 2014 Never Alone Review Eurogamer Archived from the original on December 23 2014 Retrieved December 26 2014 Juba Joe December 16 2014 Never Alone Review Game Informer GameStop Corp Archived from the original on March 9 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 Almogi Gil December 4 2014 Never Alone Kisima Ingitchuna Review GameRevolution Archived from the original on March 11 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 a b c Hindes Daniel February 5 2015 Never Alone Review GameSpot Archived from the original on February 22 2020 Retrieved March 10 2022 Elliott Matthew November 17 2014 Never Alone review GamesRadar Archived from the original on March 11 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 Carlson Alex November 25 2014 Review Never Alone Hardcore Gamer Archived from the original on June 19 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 a b Conditt Jessica December 10 2014 Never Alone review Into the storm Joystiq Archived from the original on March 16 2015 Retrieved March 10 2022 Meli Jowi June 24 2015 Never Alone Review Wii U eShop Nintendo Life Archived from the original on March 11 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 Miller Zachary July 1 2015 Never Alone Kisima Ingitchuna Wii U Review Nintendo World Report Archived from the original on January 12 2019 Retrieved March 10 2022 Never Alone review PC Gamer Future plc November 24 2014 Archived from the original on March 8 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 Banas Graham November 18 2014 Never Alone Review PS4 Push Square Archived from the original on June 17 2021 Retrieved March 10 2022 McElroy Justin November 11 2014 Never Alone Review Better Together Polygon Archived from the original on November 19 2014 Retrieved November 11 2014 a b McEwen Kirsty December 3 2014 Never Alone review captivating game about native Alaskan storytelling The Guardian Archived from the original on June 27 2018 Retrieved December 3 2014 Musgrave Shaun June 10 2016 Never Alone Ki Edition Review Good Game Great Experience TouchArcade Archived from the original on June 27 2018 Retrieved June 27 2018 Valdes Giancarlo November 28 2014 Never Alone s technical flaws undermine its beautifully told story review VentureBeat Archived from the original on March 11 2022 Retrieved March 10 2022 BAFTA Awards Search BAFTA Awards awards bafta org Archived from the original on January 16 2018 Retrieved January 16 2018 Never Alone Named Game of the Year at the 12th Annual Games for Change Festival Games for Change Games for Change April 22 2015 Archived from the original on January 16 2018 Retrieved January 16 2018 2015 DICE Award nominations led by Shadow of Mordor Engadget Archived from the original on June 10 2017 Retrieved January 16 2018 Game Developers Choice Awards www gamechoiceawards com Archived from the original on March 21 2019 Retrieved January 16 2018 External links EditOfficial website E Line MediaPortals nbsp Alaska nbsp Video games Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Never Alone video game amp oldid 1179904974, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
